Selection box - Already missing Alonso - The F1 world gears up for its first 2015 race in Australia
Published by Christine
With testing wrapping up in Barcelona, and the first race of the season just around the corner, the F1 world is in a bit of a mish mash. We're looking ahead to ponder what the year will bring, looking behind us to analyse what testing can reveal, and of course pondering just what is going on with poor Fernando Alonso. All that and more in this wrap up of F1 links and goodness.
Let's begin with the Spaniard, who is sitting out the Melbourne race uninjured but as a precautionary measure. There are mixed reactions to this news, some wondering if there is more to the story but most happy to accept the safety first attitude.
Cars must pass stringent crash tests, in order to ensure that the drivers are as safe as possible. Additionally, wheel tethers were introduced, in response to two incidents that saw loose tyres kill trackside marshals in 2000 and 2001. Unfortunately, though, these measures cannot always protect drivers, particularly when incidents occur outside the safety of the cockpit.
In the process of deciphering fact from fiction (and Ronspeak from Standard English), you couldn’t help but feel worried about Alonso’s well-being. And that’s the central cause of all of this mayhem. If McLaren or Alonso’s management had made a straightforward statement at the beginning, wouldn’t this have been so much better for everyone involved?
Amongst the disappointment of Alonso's enforced sabbatical comes the better news of Manor's return. A popular team that have managed to work out their financial difficulties and turn things around from what appeared to be an unsolvable situation. And they have a driver on board too!
I think its a good news story for Formula 1, a comeback against the odds, when at one time it looked like they would be gone for good. We will now hopefully have twenty cars on the grid in Melbourne and whilst they may not be competitive until the 2015 car is launched, it will be great to see Manor Marussia F1 on the grid in 2015, and hopefully beyond.
McLaren and Marussia take the focus of this little wrap up from Kate Walker, pondering the unknowns as we head into the 2015 season next week.
Off-track, there are still clouds of financial uncertainty hanging over several teams. In most cases the wolf has been kept from the door with the addition of new well-funded drivers on the team roster, both in race and reserve roles, but financial health is a long way off. Much depends on the teams' and FIA's ability to work together to ensure cost reductions are made so that the sport remains a viable prospect for its entrants.
We also had news this past week of a new female driver making her way into the paddock, with Lotus signing Carmen Jordá as a development driver. Once again, this was news that was met with mixed reviews.
Even though you probably think I would defend female drivers, I actually feel sorry for her male rivals. Jorda, who finished 28th is now part of a F1 team, the male rivals who beat her race after race are still in F3 or if they are very lucky GP2. Gender equality? Let’s be clear: F1 doesn't need women. But it doesn't need men either. It needs racers. People who have an extraordinary talent and are there because they have every right to be there.
Finally, a couple of links for the more technically inclined, starting with a personal take on what a difference Red Bull's engineering academy can make, and then a very short post about Williams which I mostly like for the epic close up of the front wing.
When I found out about the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy late last March, I knew I had to apply. It seemed like a perfect fit: a unique and high profile program allowing a full year of experience in Formula One and highlighting the technical and people exchange between road cars and race cars. Despite my enthusiasm and confidence in my abilities, I never thought I’d get past the first stage, let alone win.
At the last test in Barcelona, Williams introduced the last of their updates in an effort to assess its viability ahead of Melbourne. The new front wing they trialed is fairly similar to their previous design but there are some obvious changes to the cascades.
